


Grigori's End

by 0Melting_Angels0



Category: Dragon's Dogma
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Battle, Blood, Blood Loss, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Epic Battles, Final Battle, Other, Post-Battle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:20:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25884991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0Melting_Angels0/pseuds/0Melting_Angels0
Summary: Its true power was unfathomable, but somehow such a beast was struggling.Against a single mortal being.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	Grigori's End

**Author's Note:**

> So I just finished the game for the first time yesterday. I didn't know anything about it when I started, so I thought killing Grigori was the end of it. 
> 
> Couldn't have imagined how much deeper the story was than that. And whilst I respect the writers for not giving us a typical happy ending, I'm still devastated. 
> 
> (I became the Seneschal but then ended it after wandering for some time) 
> 
> So here is something cathartic I wrote for myself. Because I need something for my broken heart. The post-game is just so fucking depressing. (Which, as I said, I respect) 
> 
> This was for my Blythe Calisifer, a buff female Elf of the tallest height. She fought with sword and shield because that's just the sexiest way to fight dragons. Oh, and she romanced Aelinore, because I'm a sucker for height differences. 
> 
> The fic is neutral for the Arisen until about halfway in. 
> 
> This is kind of self indulgent, but as I know others feel the same as I do, I figured I'd post it here. It is less descriptive than what I normally do, but I wanted to take a more illustrative/poetic type of approach this time.

The day had begun like any other. A bright sun rose in the East, casting warm rays of gold across the ground- filtering through the sparse clouds to create a dappling of shadows to compliment the rays. Such warmth and radiance brought a well welcomed respite, after several days of ominously gloomy weather that had dampened spirits almost as much as the ground below. People had emerged from their homes with smiles on their faces, the market bustling and streets full of friendly chatter. Farmers went about their work with a spring in their step, calling out to one another about their good fortune in the weather. 

Trees waved in gentle breezes, not a single creak of snapping branches interrupting their peace, and even the aged ruins that decorated the land outside Gran Soren appeared to shine. All shadows, it seemed, had been chased away by the glorious sunrise. And with it, many of the fears that had accrued since the Wrym first began to wreak havoc. It was a welcome change, after the months of uncertainty, bringing people together for laughter and cheer- as opposed to anxious anticipation and fear. 

Yes, for the first time since the dragon had emerged from the coast, descending on Gransys with an unjustified vengeance...there was an air of hope about. 

But it didn't last. Deep down, they all knew such peace wouldn't stay for long. But it was still a shock to the soul when it happened, the quiet sunlight abruptly ended by the sky itself opening up. It exploded in a tangled mess of green and black, tendrils of darkness creeping across the clouds to block out every last remnant of the warm sun. A rain of smoky Ash accompanied the blanket of murky fog that descended across the land, bringing with it sounds of monstrous screams that chilled the bones of all who heard it. 

So all-encompassing was the terror, that those who heard the cries fled to their homes. Tools and goods were left unattended, as everyone fled for the closest shelter they could find. 

Doors were locked and barricaded, and windows were secured shut, until the entirety of Gransys was deathly silent. Or, at least, the living were. The undead roamed free, coaxed out of the ground by the murky darkness that had replaced the once shimmering sunlight. Their eerie moans mingled with the terrifying array of cries that rose above the fog, which only served to heighten the tension and fear that stood in place of peaceful hope. Near all of Gransys had heard the undead before, as many a traveller had barely escaped their clutches when they arrived in Gran Soren after dark. But one could never get used to such sounds. And those who said they were, were most definitely lying. 

Above the chaos that threatened to spill over, the skies themselves rumbled, the fog below hissed, and eerie whispers filtered through it all. Even the goblins and bandits had fled to their forts and hideaways, with only the most beastly of creatures daring to stay out instead of stowing away. The fact that those who had wreaked havoc on many a traveller across the years had decided to flee…set even the strongest warriors on edge. None alive had ever seen anything like it. Nor had they read about it in tomes and books. Yes, there were many accounts of dragons roaming the Earth, but nothing about the sky itself being sundered. 

There was no precedent, and nothing to compare it to. Which made the entire situation even more terrifying. It was the great unknown. 

_ And they were all wondering just **what** that **meant** for them. _

The minutes that passed after the sky opened seemed to stretch into eternity, the passing of time itself indiscernible from the murky fog overhead. People held their loved ones close, huddling as far away from the danger as they could- ears straining for any sound or life other than the screeches of monsters dancing in the mist. Eyes squinted through cracks in window shutters, desperate for something...anything. For the slightest glimmer of hope. 

_ And, though they'd all begun to wonder if it were possible to find such optimism amidst it all, the eerie almost-silence was soon broken.  _

Near all of Gransys had seen the Wrym gliding through the sky, faster than such a colossal beast should ever have been able to move- letting loose a roar that shook the very land as it flew overhead. Every time its shadow crossed the ground far below its struggle in the sky, human and beast alike had stopped and stared- some even daring to venture beyond the threshold of safety that was their homes. Even with all the sketches and tales of ages past etched onto scrolls and cavern walls, nothing could have prepared them for the sheer size of the creature. 

It stood as tall as the highest peaks in the land, with a muscular body coated in shimmering red scales that held a slick gleam in the eerie, murky light of the darkened sky. Wings that spanned the length of entire fields caused waves of powerful air every time they shifted, wind tearing through fields of flowers and carefully tended crops- their veins and tendons showing through the thinner layers of leathery skin. Horns framed the beasts head like a circlet, oddly elegant- like they’d been sculpted from the finest marbles of lands beyond the seas surrounding Gransys. Horns that gleamed even amidst the murky darkness, with the teeth inside its mouth almost mirroring the ornamental horns in size, sharp enough to cleave a man in two- that much being visible even from a distance.

Its eyes, though, were perhaps the most terrifying of all, superceding all of the beast’s gargantuan features in their intensity. They were piercing, thin black slits set in pools of blood-red colour that shone with an otherworldly glow. Serpentine in nature, the scale framed eyes held more intelligence and humanity than the Wrym’s colossal body betrayed- their strange beauty brought to incomparable levels as it breathed fire. 

Fire that crept from the depths of its stomach, setting the scales above it glowing as they passed upwards- to flood out of its mouth in a torrent of burning fire that seemed to rival the temperature of the sun itself. Heat that carried far thanks to the destructive winds generated by the beasts wings flexing as it flew.

Such sights would have been enough to even stir the stilled hearts of the undead, had it not been for the prayed for glimmer of hope that accompanied it- in the form of a blurred figure moving steadily up its back. Those who saw it had rubbed their eyes and blinked, doing double takes to ensure their eyes weren't lying to them, some even taking the time to polish the lenses of their spyglasses to ensure it wasn’t some trick of the eye. But there was, despite all doubts, somehow...a  _ living being _ clinging to the Wrym's back. 

They all knew the only one mad enough to even attempt to fight the creature was their Arisen. And whilst they had a great deal of faith in this supposed chosen one, due to their numerous, now legendary exploits...it was still hard to believe that anyone could slay the dragon. 

After all, it had taken out almost all of a fishing village with but a few swipes of sharpened claws and bursts of sun-hot fire, exuding power befitting of a creature that was written deeply into Gransys’ history. And that was when it was newly emerged, expending as little effort as possible. Its true power was unfathomable, but somehow such a beast was struggling. 

_ Against a single mortal being. _

It would have seemed impossible, had it just been a tale passed on in the taverns at night, shared between ales and songs. But it was transpiring in the skies above them as they spoke in hushed whispers, too afeared to cheer for their hero- lest they drew the Wrym's attention on themselves and their homes. Those who owned spyglasses dared to venture further from their homes than those without, desperate to see the battle as closely as they could. And what a battle it was. The dragon twisted and turned, trying to throw the Arisen off of its back- to no avail. Their hero, moving swiftly despite their heavy armour, kept a tight grip despite the Wrym’s spiralling aerial manoeuvers. Enough that they had even moved up the beast's scaled body, albeit narrowly dodging sweeping claws as they did so. 

_ And when the battle momentarily made its way to land?  _

Those were perhaps the most spectacular moments of all, preceded by the sheer rapturous joy of seeing the Wrym fall from the darkened skies above. Of seeing it collide harshly with the ground in a burst of ash, the scent of sulfur and singed wood filling the air as a plume of smoke stretched into the swirling, murky skies above. Of the ground itself cracking and caving upon impact, unable to remain steadfast in the wake of the dragon's fall. 

Without a single shred of hesitation, the Arisen had the sense and wherewithal to have leapt from the Wrym's back just as the creature collided with the ground- even though they had to cast their shield and sword aside to avoid injuring themselves in their descent. Rolling surprisingly gracefully upon contact with the ruined ground, they rose to their feet faster than even the dragon could, keeping a watchful eye on the beast as it rose- whilst they slyly backed towards where their weapon had fallen. 

It was back within their grasp in mere moments, but the shield had scattered further across the smouldering grass. Leaving those who were able to see watching with bated breath, as the Arisen turned their back on the Wrym for the first time, and ran for the battered metal shape- just as the beast's stomach began to glow. 

Even though smoke could be heard hissing from the gaps in the beast's teeth as it reared its head back, the Arisen showed no signs of fear. 

Not a single worried crease or tear in their eye. 

Somehow, the warrior reached their shield faster than anyone could have thought possible, raising it slightly to sit it upon the ground. They barely had time to tuck the bulk of their body behind the flame forged piece, before a torrent of fire was unleashed upon them. A veritable kaleidoscope of sunset colours danced brightly in the flames, parted only by the Arisen's shield, flowing like water around a riverbend. 

_ It was oddly beautiful, in its way.  _

But terrifying all the same. 

Yet the Arisen  _**smiled**.  _

Smiled, as what would have brought tears from the lands fiercest warriors moved around them, carrying a heat that could be felt several hundred feet away from where the two landed near Gran Soren. Such a heat was no doubt welding the warrior's armour to their skin, and bringing out putrid blisters on the surfaces that weren't shielded by metal, yet the Arisen's smile remained. 

And it  _ truly  _ stayed. 

_ Somehow _ , it stayed all the way through the torrent of flame, and even  _ afterwards  _ **_still_ ** _.  _

A smile that stretched ever wider, as they closed the distance between themselves and the dragon, and pushed themselves into the air with the aid of some spell, aiming their blade at the Wrym's eerily glowing heart. Whilst they missed their mark somewhat, due to dodging a clawed arm sweeping their way, they still cut an arc over the seemingly tender spot- cutting deep enough to scatter scales and make the beast roar in pain. 

The two traded blows on ruined ground, some coming far too close to the Arisen for comfort, leaving those watching to clutch at their chests in bursts of intense fear. Elongated claws swiped and stabbed, which the warrior dodged whilst attempting to get close to the beast once more. 

Snaps of powerful jaws lined by razor-sharp teeth grazed the Arisen's armour deep enough to draw sparks. 

Sparks which glowed like the burning embers of the fire that remained in the air after the flames that kept rushing forth from the Wrym's mouth. 

Though the grounded battle did not last long, it was still a thrilling sight. People near fought their own battles over the spyglasses, desperate for even a moments glimpse of a battle that would be written into Gransys history books, and depicted in countless paintings for decades to come. 

A battle that was ultimately terrifying, but still brought with it a sense of hope. For, despite the hours that the fight had stretched on, even before it reached the ground, their Arisen fought on. Despite what was no doubt bone deep exhaustion, and visible gashes and blisters showing through cracks in their armour, they never once faltered. Not even when the Wrym took flight again, and they were left with only their sword in order to cling to one of its bat-like wings. 

When the battle disappeared into the horizon, until even a beast as colossal as the dragon was but a blur in spyglasses view, the people felt an odd mixture of emotions. There was relief that the battle had moved away from the beloved Capital City, and distanced itself from the clusters of people within- and across the lands. Then there was disappointment, that they could no longer see the thrilling fight unfolding before their very eyes. 

And then, perhaps stronger than all other sense of emotion, was fear. Fear that the Arisen would succumb to exhaustion and fall from the Wrym's back, or be burned to ash by its fire without their shield, or even be clawed in two by the beast's powerful claws. Perhaps even shredded to pieces by sharp teeth, to become a gruesome meal for the dragon.

Fears that were, luckily, soon washed away- when those with spyglasses let loose a roaring cheer. A collective shout of victory that spread across Gransys for all to hear--for the Wrym had fallen in the distance. And it hadn't risen up again, as it had before. 

Yes, it truly seemed, as those who saw it rushed to joyfully shout the news, that the beast was finally slain. There were those who doubted, thinking that perhaps it was simply lying in wait. 

_ Or even just licking it's wounds, the Arisen lying dead nearby.  _

But the majority of the populace chose to cling to what happiness they had left, and  _ hope _ . 

* * *

* * *

The soldiers that had congregated near the Grand Wall had the most spectacular view of the fight as it passed above them, some even mounting their horses and dashing back and forth to keep an eye on the battle as it unfolded. They were so close to the action that they felt the ground shake when the Wrym emerged from its hiding place at the turning point of the fight. That they felt the near searing heat of the vibrant flames that brought light to the darkened skies above. As such, they saw firsthand the final time the beast fell, blood scattering in the wind to dash their camp like a crude rainfall- all of them stumbling where they stood as the ground shifted from the Wrym's harsh impact. 

When it had failed to rise again, they had made a mad rush towards it. Clambering over piles of rubble, and edging their way cautiously over ravines and ledges, they damn well fought their way to the final site of the battle. 

It took far longer than any of them could have imagined. Part of that was due to how the battle had destroyed near half of Gransys highest peaks, rendering most paths just too dangerous to travel. 

And the other? Well, that was the countless decaying goblin corpses that they'd had to step over. The piles of harpies cleaved in two and singed by magic both human and dragon in origin. Dustings of crumbled gargoyles that mixed with the ash in the air as they were swept away. 

Though most impressive were the two bodies of black Chimera that lay in pieces in the last mountain hall- serpent heads and goats horns split in tune with the beasts intestines. Which had already begun to spoil in the wake of the Wrym fires heat. Something that would normally have turned even the most stalwart soldiers away, had they not been pursuing the final outcome of the Arisen's battle against the dragon. 

When the soldiers finally reached where the beast had fallen, they all froze where they stood. But it was not, as it had been when the Wrym appeared at the wall a mere few weeks ago, out of fear. No, they were stopped where they stood by something else entirely. 

An overwhelming sense of  _ awe.  _

Because before them stood a sight they'd never forget. Framed by half crumbled mountains and smoking Castle ruins, dimly lit by the smouldering fires scattered about the ruined landscape, was the dragon itself. The once proud beast now laid on its side, eyes half lidded and almost dazed, glowing heart exposed for all to see- flesh and scale torn asunder. Such a wound served to quell any fears that rose upon realising the Wrym was somehow still breathing. Their awe was only further strengthened by the centerpiece of the almost picturesque scene before them- their Arisen. 

Standing tall in a firm and practiced stance, dented and chipped sword poised directly over the dragon's heart with two tightly clenched hands, the elf kept that same damned smile on their face. 

An expression which had remained despite the battle which many had wondered would ever end. 

Against the flame and the sharpened claws. 

Against the battering they'd received. 

Yes. Truly, it was a miracle that the warrior was even still standing, let alone with that same smile fixed on their bloodstained and heat-blistered face. 

Armour which had shone when they last saw it, was now almost ruined. Once clear embellishments and etchings were hidden beneath fractures and clusters of viscera that clung to the shining metal surfaces. One shoulder piece was entirely gone, the chainmail below it even torn- showing a mess of almost shredded skin underneath layers of sticky blood. And the armour below that absent shoulder piece had suffered a similar fate, what little that remained becoming tangled with the ragged chainmail. Some more pieces of the set had warped, where heat had welded it to the Arisen's skin- whilst still others bore too many scores and fractures to count. 

A cloak which had once gleamed as bright as the armour it was affixed to was now partially torn, with so many gashes and smouldering edges that it was another miracle in that it had yet to drift away with the smoke from the battlefield. Let alone flow majestically in the wind that had built up. 

Fabric that flowed in unison with the Arisen's now legendary snow-white hair, strands of the latter still glowing from where the warrior had barely avoided a torrent of flames. 

Hair that stood out starkly against soot dusted, sulfur burned skin, and the Ruby red eyes that their hero had also become known for. Eyes that ironically almost mirrored the dragon’s own bloody orbs. And those eyes…if looks could kill, then the Wrym would have been dead long ago- the soldiers were certain of that. 

It was that gaze that kept them away, instead of rushing to the Arisen's side to aid them, as they so desperately wished. And, by proxy, it was that gaze that allowed them to see and hear for themselves something they knew would haunt their dreams for years to come- the Wrym opening its mouth…and speaking as clear as any human. They’d heard rumours that the beast could speak, and some had even heard some of its speech from a distance when it attacked the Grand Wall mere weeks ago. But nothing would ever compare to hearing it so close.

It's voice was so fierce, and deep in menacing tone, that it sent chills down their spines, bringing tears of pure fear to the eyes of even the most stoic among them. 

A voice that seemed as if it came from Death itself. 

But, somehow, a voice that the Arisen seemed completely unfazed by. Though their brow knitted at the dragon's words, which filtered out of the soldiers minds in their haze of fear, the warrior remained steadfast- smile never wavering. If anything, the expression seemed to stretch further, one corner quirking upwards to silently mick the Wrym in its final moments. 

A smile that showed teeth gleaming beneath globules of blood, that leaked down the Arisen's chin as they were disturbed- when they concluded the battle once and for all, and drove their blade right into the centre of the beast's glowing, exposed heart. It was the sight of the organ seizing and rupturing, spurting blood all over their hero's body, that finally brought the soldiers out of their fearful reverie. 

How the Arisen could let go of their sword to relish in the feeling of the dragons blood drenching their body, none would ever understand. 

Not that they'd ever dare question it. 

When the blood finally ceased spilling, the very heart turned to stone- trapping the sword where it had pierced all the way down to its warped and weathered hilt. 

Stone that soon began to crack and splinter off, before exploding in a burst of ashen air that knocked even the Arisen off their feet. The force behind the burst served to knock all the wind out of them, leaving even their hero to gasp for breath as they struggled into their hands and knees- just in time to see another morbid wonder unfurl before them. 

Scales began peeling back from the Wrym's skin, beginning with a few at a time, until literal handfuls of the blood coloured slates were peeling off its corpse. Scales that turned to glowing ash, carried off on the same wind as the last remaining crumbles of the dragons heart. Scales that gave way to roughened skin. And, in turn, gave way to layers of muscle and tendons. 

The sight of the Wrym's body peeling away from its own bones was almost as disturbing as hearing the beast speak, turning the stomachs of more than a few men as bones became exposed and intestines collapsed unceremoniously onto the smouldering ground- coupled with sounds so gruesome the soldiers knew they'd hear them in their darkest nightmares. 

Only the Arisen had the strength to rise to their feet, and limp closer to see the spoiled carnage up close- their smile returning when all that remained of the terrifying Wrym was its bones. Which gleamed with an incandescent light, a light so pure and white that the warrior had to raise a hand to shield their eyes from the eerie glow- only to remove that hand mere moments later...as the glow swirled around the sundered bones. 

The Arisen kept their gaze fixated on it, as did the soldiers, and so they watched in unison as the light stretched upwards into the sky, in a trembling spiral. Watched as the darkness parted the second the strange magic made contact with the torn sky, making the tendrils of inky black creep backwards whence they came, chased away by the bright sunlight and blue skies that returned to shine over Gransys. Sunlight which served to drive away the murky fog which had clung to the ground, taking the spine chilling, monstrous screeches with it. 

_ With their world seemingly restored, some soldiers fell to their knees in sheer **relief**.  _

After months of tension and terror, the Wrym had finally been slain. Had they not seen it with their own eyes, they likely wouldn't have believed the tales they knew would result. After all, the idea that a single mortal, even one as deeply powerful as the Arisen, could kill the Dragon…was incredibly far fetched. But here those soldiers stood, watching as their hero tore their blade free from the beasts stony heart, smiling as the bones around it creaked and splintered in the process. 

Here they stood, as the Arisen turned to face them, smiled wider than they ever had before- and raised their battered sword to the cleared heavens above, letting loose a victory cry that would echo down to the Grand Wall below. 

A cry which should have been impossible, given the sheer amount of injuries painting their hero's skin like a grotesque canvas, and the hours they’d spent fighting the Wrym. But one which shouted loud enough to rival the dragons roar, nonetheless. 

Here they stood, cheering a victory which they'd all feared would never come. 

Here they stood,  _ alive. _

_ With a hero that, despite all the odds that destiny had stacked up against them, stood tall- as a legend _ . 

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, that was a bit cheesy at the end. But I needed this to soothe my soul. 
> 
> Hopefully, you all enjoyed this little one shot, and can look forward to my many more planned works in this criminally underrated fandom.


End file.
